County organizations and residents earn Roses for aiding storm victims

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Roses to the residents of Chester County who donated and volunteered to aid residents of New York and New Jersey displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Norman Miron used Facebook in an attempt to produce one random act of kindness. He was overwhelmed with with more than five tons of supplies, not including the food he and his other volunteers also took with them to cook up a hot breakfast at Shore Vineyard Church in Tom’s River, N.J. About 650 people helped or donated, including the offices of Keller Williams Realty of Exton. Another donation drive we’re giving Roses to is Patrick Brunner and the Kesher Israel Congregation. Both teams headed into New York and New Jersey early Friday morning to drop off the supplies and cook up hot meals.

+Roses to police Cpl. Wills of the Kennett Square Police Department for going out of his way to locate a replacement sign for a resident whose sign had been removed from their property. It is an example of excellent community policing when people know that their police department cares and responds to their needs.

+Roses to all who participated in the election process on Tuesday -- candidates, campaign volunteers, party workers who encouraged voting, election officials who worked at the polls and last but not least to the voters, some who waited in long lines for the privilege of casting a ballot in this free democracy. Voting went smoothly in most cases, due to the efforts of polls workers and campaign volunteers, many of whom are volunteering their time to keep the wheels of democracy turning. Their efforts keep elections efficient and honest.

+Thorns to those who started unfounded Election Day rumors that may have kept people away from the polls. No sooner had the polls opened on Tuesday than rumors started, often originating and spreading on social media, that machines were not “allowing” certain votes, that people were being turned away if they didn’t have voter ID cards or that machines were stuck on one party or another. None of the local rumors was determined to have any basis, but the spread of false information can have a detrimental effect on turnout.

+Thorns to candidates who have not yet removed their roadside election signs. The public was fed up with campaign ads long before Election Day. The sooner the signs come down, the better. At this point, they’re just roadside litter.

+While acknowledging our dubious role as community scold on things-political, sometimes deceptive campaign literature raises itself to high art, or at least a laugh. Thus – despite deserved competition from Republicans and Democrats in the past election – we award a Black Rose to First Ward Democrats in West Chester for a simple ballot flyer passed out at the polls Tuesday advising voters that because of expected lines, voters can help the lines “move more rapidly if you simply fill in the straight party Democratic oval”.